Tetradrachm of Gotarzes II, Seleukeia c. 46 - 47

Curator: This is a tetradrachm, a silver coin, of Gotarzes II. Editor: It looks like hard currency indeed, and judging from its patina, it’s seen quite a bit of exchange. Curator: Absolutely, the coin offers insight into the ruler's image, quite literally, as the artistry served to disseminate an idea of Gotarzes II’s power through trade. Editor: I'm drawn to the raw materiality of the silver, and the labor involved, how each coin represents a bit of extraction and transformation, each one a unit of value but also of work. Curator: Its weight, about 13 grams, is quite palpable; think of the weight of authority it carried! Editor: Makes me consider the hands it passed through, the markets it fueled, and the stories it could tell of its life in circulation. Curator: It's amazing how much history can be held in such a small object. Editor: A tiny, weighty portal into a world of material and power.